Actos pasados

Refugee training programs succeed when they are built with industry to ensure seamless transition from training to employment. From New York City’s Emma’s Torch, learn about a culinary training and licensing program for refugees, and from Toronto, a refugee training program focused on creating a talent pipeline to fill trade-related occupations.

Hire Immigrants and the Immigrant Futures project present the first in a 3-part webinar series on the recently released report, Investing in Refugee Talent: Lessons Learned in Labour Market Integration.

What does a welcoming economy look like? Research suggests newcomer-friendly services and slogans aren’t enough. Immigrant retention depends on positive labour market experiences and a robust local economy. What can local planning councils do to attract and sustain immigrant investment in the social, economic and cultural growth of their cities and regions?

2018 GDX Lecturer Dr. Naika Foroutan, Humboldt University (Berlin), examines right-wing populism in Europe with a particular focus on Germany, arguing that current trends towards the rejection of already negotiated, fought for norms and values of plural democracies pose a serious challenge to the possibilities of inclusive nationalism in multicultural societies like Germany and Canada. Followed by a moderated discussion with Senator Ratna Omidvar.

The WC2 opening plenary event, “Migration, the City and the University” highlights three key themes: the impact of the use of language surrounding migration, the reality of policies in practice, and migration seen through a Canadian lens.

Dr. Zhixi Zhuang, School of Urban and Regional Planning, Ryerson University (Toronto) in conversation with Dr. Stacy Harwood, Department of Urban & Regional Planning, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) to discuss planning for urban resilience in a multicultural context, and how municipal planning policies can create safe, accessible, and inclusive public spaces while promoting intercultural social interactions and understanding.

An interactive workshop that will highlight examples of city-led mythbusting and public engagement campaigns from around the world. It is in the cities and the urban communities where refugees find themselves resettled (or where they are displaced to) that the rubber hits the road. What are some examples of local and institutional strategies to welcome refugees, and to ensure that a culture of welcome is sustained through broad-based public support? What is the DNA of a welcoming city for refugees?

Dr. Snežana Ratkovic, Brock University (Canada) in conversation with Dr Stavroula Kaldi, University of Thessaly (Greece), to discuss the experiences of refugee students in the classroom and beyond, current educational policy gaps when it comes to supporting refugee students, and successful strategies that teachers, resettlement officers, and school administrators can use to ease the transition for refugee students in schools.

Join Sarah Spencer, Director of the Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity (Oxford), and Jan Braat, Senior Policy Advisor, Migration and Integration, City of Utrecht to learn about C-MISE findings, recommendations, and to explore the specific example of the City of Utrecht’s public commitment to be a ‘Human Rights City’ and the inclusive policies and practices it has developed to ensure undocumented residents have access to ‘Bed, Bath and Bread’ as well as health care, employment, education and legal advice.

Learn how youth initiatives in Berlin and London are using theatre and sport to develop a counter-narrative that strengthens youth participation in local cultural and social life while promoting skills development, empowerment and living together in cultural diversity.

Learn about housing initiatives in Bristol, UK and Berlin, Germany, that are opening doors to refugee housing and local economic development by creating positive social interactions between refugee and host communities at home, at work and in local neighbourhoods.

Join us online to explore the Australian Standard for Welcoming Cities with Aleem Ali, Welcoming Cities (Brisbane, Australia), in conversation with Darren Reedy, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (Edmonton, Canada). Learn more about the change-making work behind Welcoming Cities, the design and implementation of welcoming benchmarks, and the strategic engagement of city and community leaders in the Standard’s bid to ensure that immigrants thrive in the social, economic and civic life of their cities.

This workshop explores the complex and interconnected factors that contribute to open, inclusive cities in an era of global migration. Participants will learn about the My City of Migration Diagnostic, a new online tool that helps users assess the quality of inclusion in their daily lives: at work, at school, on election day, in health and as a new arrival. International experts will provide insight and analysis on building inclusive cities, what works, what doesn’t, and the cost of exclusion. Presentations will include examples of good practice, and policy recommendations.

A 4-part webinar series that explores good ideas, promising practices, and the opportunities of refugee labour market integration with international experts. Hosted by Cities of Migration, Hire Immigrants and Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Join Kajal Sanghrajka in a discussion with representatives from two organizations that are successfully supporting newcomer entrepreneurs realize their business dreams: Scadding Court Community Centre’s Business Out of a Box model in Toronto and CAMBA Small Business Services in New York. Learn how each model is meeting the needs of newcomer entrepreneurs through breaking down barriers and using innovative solutions to jump start business success for newcomers.

Join us online with Kate Longpre, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (Canada) in conversation with Aleem Ali, Welcoming Cities (Australia) to discuss how immigrant service organizations can use smart technology and corporate partnerships to achieve deeper impact; how the We Speak Translate project, supported by Google, is training hundreds of “power users” to build awareness about resettlement, integration and inclusion; and how community organizations and local businesses in your city can get involved.

Dan Wallace, Welcoming America consultant (Berlin/New York) in a conversation with Dr. Toufic El Masri, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and ‘Migrant Firms’ Division (Hamburg) to discuss the internationally replicated Welcoming Cities model and promising approaches in American and German cities that promote a local economic integration framework which welcomes refugees as valued contributors to workplaces, local economies and vibrant communities.

Join Anki Elken, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs at Randstad Sweden Group (Stockholm, Sweden) in a learning exchange with Merissa Preston, Training Liaison at LiUNA! Local 506 (Toronto, Canada), to discuss the successful models of employer leadership in providing refugees with meaningful employment.

Learn how innovative initiatives in Toronto and Barcelona are putting family first and welcoming refugee and reunified immigrant families based on the first principles of living together – building relationships, support, trust and a community of welcome – while engaging private citizens and public institutions as active agents of integration.

Join Devon Franklin, Project Manager of Hire Immigrants (Toronto, CA) in a conversation with Jasmine Ateia, Division Manager, Labour Market Integration for Refugees, City of Freiburg (Germany), to discuss lessons learned from the Syrian Refugees Jobs Agenda Roundtable after its first year: getting started, who was at the table, practical strategies for refugee employment and how to strengthen private sector engagement in the global refugee crisis.

Initiatives in Montreal (Canada) and Augsburg (Germany) that recognize immigrant talent and maximize the opportunities for internationally trained professionals to work to their full capabilities, skills, and qualifications

A conversation with Alan Vernon, Project Lead, Connectivity for Refugees, UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency and Joséphine Goube, Chief Operating Officer of Techfugees, to unpack UNHCR’s latest report, Connecting Refugees: How Internet and Mobile Connectivity Can Improve Refugee Well-Being and Transform Humanitarian Action, on the critical role that information and communications technology plays in improving the lives of refugees from city to city.

Employers are often faced with the question of whether to prioritize language or job opportunity. Language proficiency and ability to communicate is essential for success in the workplace and long-term career growth, but can employees work and learn at the same time? In this webinar, Hire Immigrants will address this important question of ‘What comes first — language or work?‘

Good, affordable housing is a critical first step to successful refugee reception, settlement, and integration. In today’s urban migration context, that means cities are under increasing pressure to provide affordable and dignified housing options. Getting housing right promotes urban resilience and liveability in good times –and in times of shock or crisis.

This 60-minute webinar that explores sanctuary policies and programs that serve the undocumented in Toronto and New York, what works and why it’s important, asking: Who does the sanctuary city seek to protect and why?

The City of Barcelona’s “Anti Rumour” campaign is being replicated in over 15 cities across Europe, with strategies ranging from street theatre and pop-up workshops to media campaigns and workplace awareness. What are the essential ingredients of a successful campaign? How do we get the replication ball rolling?

On this July 28 Webinar, World Bank Senior Economist Manjula Luthria, Ratna Omidvar of the Global Diversity Exchange, Doug Saunders of the Globe and Mail, and Matthias Mayer of the Bertelsmann Stiftung explore new ideas for moving the refugee agenda forward.

Join Steve Tobocman, Executive Director of Global Detroit, for an online conversation for how we can revitalize regional economies through immigrant attraction and retention, employment, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and internationalization of cities, workplaces and institutions. Interview hosted by Sarah Wayland, Project Lead of Global Hamilton.

Learn how the ground-breaking Tower Neighbourhood Renewal project in Toronto is exploring alternative narratives about urban renewal from European cities, integrating social resiliency, stewardship, adaptability into city-building and changing how we think about- and live in tower neighbourhoods.

Bristol boasts the strongest economy of any UK city outside London, and is one of the country’s fastest growing city. Like many dynamic, booming cities its growth includes rapid demographic change, increasing diversity and a growing gap in prosperity. How do resilient cities address the challenges of deepening social and economic inequality? Why is diversity, migration and inclusion essential to a conversation about city resilience and livability?

Neighbourhoods like Tower Hamlets (London) and Thorncliffe Park (Toronto) have become destinations of choice and “arrival cities” for successive waves of urban migrants. Join us online to learn how community-led initiatives organized by local residents are rolling out the welcome mat, reducing barriers to participation, and empowering newcomers to help build a vibrant sense of community.

Learn about award-winning programs from Wellington, New Zealand and Toronto, Canada that improve language and digital literacy for immigrant families and youth by removing barriers to technology, promoting inter-generational tutoring, and strengthening community relations through education.

If visible minorities and immigrants make up a growing population, why are they still largely absent from the city’s boardrooms and corridors of power? Enter programs like Diversity OnBoard (Toronto, Canada), and the West Midlands Civic leadership (Birmingham, United Kingdom) that are using practical strategies to close the diversity gap. Join Cities of Migration for an online discussion about what it takes to change the faces of civic and political leadership and connect public institutions to the talent they need for competitive growth.

Mayors Panel: Re-Imagining the City: Setting an Agenda for Shared Prosperity
Does city leadership matter? As the level of government closest to the people, local governments are most directly and immediately impacted by the lives, successes and challenges of immigrants. Cities have a range of levers to deploy to create a foundation for future prosperity for all residents. Mayoral voice can be a particularly powerful tool to accelerate the path to inclusion. So, what are progressive city leaders doing to close the gap between the city we have and the city we want?
The Big Debate: Beautiful Game? Or Racist Quagmire?
Be it resolved professional football is powerless to end racism

Join Fatima Shama, former Commissioner, New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, for a conversation about why cities around the world are taking the lead on immigrant integration and how New York’s “Blueprints” for immigrant integration success can help. In conversation with Astrid Ziebarth, Director of Migration & Society at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin.

Learn about initiatives in Auckland and Halifax that recognize the potential of international students to meet local labour needs and strengthen emerging talent pools. What can smart cities and local institutions do to recruit and retain these promising young people and global citizens?

Learn about how smart initiatives in San Francisco and Calgary are removing barriers to financial inclusion for immigrants, and helping the financially vulnerable achieve a viable path to economic well-being.

Learn about groundbreaking initiatives in Wellington, New Zealand, and Vancouver, Canada, that are bringing new immigrant and indigenous communities together for intercultural learning and meaningful exchange as an essential part of newcomer settlement and welcome in these multicultural societies.

Join Toralv Moe, Senior Advisor, Business Development and Diversity with the City of Oslo, for an update on the city’s ambitious plan to be ‘A City for All’. Learn how Oslo is putting intercultural policy to the test and raising its diversity and integration index by measuring the city’s progress on equality, opportunity and inclusion since the 2001 launch of its Oslo Extra Large campaign. In conversation with: Irena Guidikova, Intercultural Cities, Council of Europe

Small-to-medium cities like Boise, United States, and Erfurt, Germany, are successfully bringing newcomers and receiving communities together with innovative programs and a clear message about the two-way benefits of immigrant integration.

Learn how recruitment strategies developed by the municipalities of Saskatoon (Canada) and Bremen (Germany) are not only creating a workplace where equity and diversity are valued – they are building cities for future growth and shared prosperity.

Join Adolfo Hernandez, Director, Chicago’s Office of New Americans for a conversation about Big Ideas for making Chicago “the most immigrant-friendly city” in the U.S. In conversation with: Suzette Brooks Masters, J.M. Kaplan Fund of New York.

International policy experts analyze innovative local practices and discuss the role that municipal governments and other local actors can – and should – play in shaping immigration and integration policy.

Innovative local governments in Munich (Germany) and Philadelphia (US) are investing in employment and small business incubation strategies to ensure local immigrant skill, talent and energies can help transform their cities into engines of economic growth and urban prosperity.

Learn about innovative health and safety initiatives in Auckland and Vancouver that promote healthy living through community education and accessible programming that ensures new immigrants and their families are safe, sound, and empowered to seek solutions for their personal well-being.

Learn about the power of city-led public service campaigns in Barcelona (Spain) and Sheffield (UK) that create safe, welcoming communities by challenging myths and changing misconceptions about immigrants and refugees. These local responses to anti-discrimination help us understand the role and capacity of local government to integrate migrants and provide equal opportunities for all residents.

Learn about successful programs in Dublin and Toronto that engage newcomer communities around the rights, responsibilities and rites of urban citizenship. Find out how smart cities are shifting the conversation from voting rights and citizenship status to political participation and a sense of belonging.

Learn about an exciting school-based program, Alle Kids Sind VIPs, from Germany that empowers immigrant youth, educators, and “celebrity” ambassadors to raise awareness about cultural diversity. Replicated in Barcelona as “Eres joven, ¡triunfarás!” the program has now spread to schools across Spain to inspire a new generation to share positive contributions about immigrant integration.

Learn about strategic city-led initiatives in Antwerp (Belgium) and Waltham Forest (London borough, UK) that strengthen the capacity of city councils, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens to work together for more inclusive communities and strong democratic institutions. This webinar is supported by Open Society Foundations’ At Home in Europe Project.

Learn about employment strategies from two municipalities, Hamburg and Copenhagen, who have built a strong campaign and delivered results in their commitment to workforce diversity. International presenters from Hamburg and Copenhagen. This webinar is co-hosted with Open Society Foundations’ At Home in Europe Project.

Watch our latest video that recounts our October travels to the 4th annual National Immigrant Integration Conference in Seattle. It’s a live showcase of ten of the international practices that we have profiled at Cities of Migration.

Learn how creating opportunities to start and grow small businesses is important to a city’s entrepreneurial culture and a healthy, resilient economy. Immigrants bring talent, energy, a wealth of innovative business ideas and investments to our cities. How is your city supporting new immigrant entrepreneurs?

Cities of Migration hosted a webinar to learn about successful strategies for community engagement, creative mentoring, and promoting immigrant integration through the arts. Presenters from Auckland and Toronto share innovative ideas about how music, performance and new literary voices are building stronger communities through the arts and changing the way we see ourselves in the city.

Cities of Migration hosted a webinar to learn about winning educational strategies and practical lessons for immigrant student success. Learn how educators in Malmo and Frankfurt are testing new ideas in and outside the classroom and unlocking opportunity for academic achievement.

Cities of Migration hosted a webinar on diversity in the media and shared successful strategies used by local radio broadcasters in Barcelona and Toronto to improve audience ratings. Find out how responding to changing demographics can help you share your city’s immigrant experience and boost station performance.

Cities of Migration hosted a 60-minute webinar to learn about successful outreach strategies in community policing from Cardiff, UK, and Newport News, US, that build confidence and promote public safety within diverse communities.

MIPEX, published by the British Council and the Migration Policy Group, compares immigrant integration policies in all European Union Member States, plus Norway, Switzerland, Canada and the USA, and ranks how well these countries provide opportunities for legal migrants to participate in society across 148 policy indicators.

Cities of Migration hosted a 60 minute webinar to explore innovative strategies for connecting internationally trained health workers and immigrant patients to the health care system. Staying healthy means knowing when and where to go for medical help and having access to experts who can speak your language, culturally and linguistically. Find out how programs in San Francisco and Hannover are actively connecting internationally-trained health care professionals to employment and training diverse cultural mediators to improve health literacy within immigrant communities.

The 2010 International Cities of Migration Conference, Oct. 3-4, 2010 (The Hague, Netherlands), brought together 170 migration experts, practitioners and city leaders from over 50 cities across 22 countries. Over a short day and a half, we shared stories, debated the issues, and explored good ideas about immigrant integration, diversity and city leadership.

Whether on the field, in play or as enthusiastic supporters, team sports have a unique ability to rally the whole community behind local champions and celebrate the hero amongst us. Learn how sports participation inspires confidence and a sense of belonging in the individual team player, builds bridges across cultural differences, and contributes to community cohesion long after the winning goal has been scored.

Learn about new gateway cities like Fort Wayne, Indiana (US), and Oslo, Norway, that are helping transform the immigrant experience of dislocation and exclusion into a celebration of new community where everyone counts -and is counted.

Learn about how financial products and services are being developed to support migrant entrepreneurship and meet the needs of people who are are financially exluded – -whatever their gender, race or postal code.

Learn about The Gate Project at Porta Palazzo, a municipal regeneration initiative in Turin, Italy, that uses a flexible, participatory approach to community development, and about a successful model of partnership between Chicago Community Trust and multiple stakeholders in the municipal, community and private sector that are addressing the needs of a growing newcomer community.

On October 20, 2009, Cities of Migration hosted guest speakers, Sherazade Langlade, from New York’s Upwardly Global and Beatriz Hernandez de Fuhr, from Copenhagen’s KVinfo, internationally recognized experts in the fields of mentoring and labourforce integration, for a 60-minute international webinar on human resource strategies that recruit, retain and result in the successful integration of skilled immigrants and increased diversity in the workforce.

In this webinar Elizabeth McIsaac, Executive Director of the internationally recognized Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, speaks about TRIEC’s multi-sector approach to labour market integration and how corporate leadership can help you and your city benefit from the so-called “immigrant advantage”; with Justin Treagus, Program Director, OMEGA at the Committee of Auckland, New Zealand, and corporate partner and moderator Nick Main, Chairman, Deloitte New Zealand.

Learn about Bertelsmann Stiftung’s participatory approach to helping communities structure integration policies and programming that are inclusive and locally focused. The presentation includes an outline of the recent activities of the Transatlantic Council on Migration on the theme of “Learning from the World, ” and introductory remarks from the distinguished Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth, former President of the German Bundestag, reknowned for her contribution to the migration field.

In this webinar, Raheel Mohammed and Natalia Chan of the Maslaha Project present innovative approaches used by the project to provide practical information that help the Islamic community in London, UK, navigate cultural issues to do with healthcare, education, family life, finance, and civic and democratic engagement. Moderated by Alya Adamany, from The Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and commentary from Kyle Ismail from The Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN).

Learn about the role of cities in accelerating the civic and political integration of immigrants, with city representatives from Dublin and New Haven, Connecticut. On March 24, 2009, Cities of Migration hosted its first webinar about successful municipal integration strategies, introduced by Howard Duncan, International Metropolis project, and hosted by Ratna Omidvar, Maytree.